9 in 10 parents want children to learn about online privacy from 4 years old

New research published by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has found that 88% of parents believe children should begin learning about online privacy between the ages of four and 11. Despite this, the ICO study reveals significant gaps in digital safety, with 71% of parents concerned that information their children share today could affect their future prospects. 

The results indicate that many children are already facing risks online. In particular, 24% have shared their real name or address, while 22% have disclosed personal information, such as health details, when using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Furthermore, 35% of parents believe their children would be willing to exchange personal data for gaming rewards.

According to the ICO, many parents feel ill-equipped to manage these risks, with 46% lacking confidence in protecting their children's privacy and 42% admitting they likely spend insufficient time checking privacy settings. Online privacy remains one of the least-discussed safety topics, with 21% of parents having never spoken to their children about it, compared to 90% who have discussed screen time in the past month.

The findings are part of the ICO's switched on to privacy campaign, being launched to help parents of kids aged four to 11 start simple conversations about protecting their personal information online.

Training Announcement: Freevacy offers a range of independent data protection qualifications from IAPP and BCS. Our certified courses are available at foundation and practitioner levels and cover multiple legal jurisdictions, data protection operations management, and the implementation of complex privacy solutions in technical environments. Find out more.